Bruce Springsteen's Music and Political Influence Essay

Bruce Springsteen's Music and Political Influence Essay

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Bruce Springsteen’s music has had a huge impact on America and its politics. From presidential elections to September 11, 2001, Springsteen’s music has been referenced and appreciated in times of need. His ability to write from experiences and events causes Springsteen’s music to ring true with Americans. Even those who don’t really listen to his music on a regular basis can tell of the influence politics has on his music, and in turn, Americans across the country.
Bruce Springsteen was born in Freehold, New Jersey, on September 23, 1949. His school life was one he regarded with hatred and bitterness. He spent eight years in a parochial school. Springsteen always felt like an outsider at school and was ignored by his classmates. He discovered music to escape the loneliness and “pain of a solitary existence” (Halbersberg, 1984, pg. 12). His first enlightening moment was at the age of nine when he saw Elvis Presley live. His mother then bought him a guitar but he was too small to play so he waited for five years on his dreams of becoming a big musician.
His parents, Adele and Douglas Springsteen, were low-middle class workers. His mother was a secretary while his father had plenty of jobs. His father worked from mills to cabs to being a jail guard. Plenty of times, the family had to stay with Springsteen’s mother’s parents. When Springsteen was old enough to actually play the guitar, he became obsessed with it. His parents were not happy with his becoming a musician. He has made it obvious to his listeners of the tension between him and his father even today.
His religious upbringing was limited to being forced to go to Catholic schools. In class, he would smile and then the nuns would take him to the first grade class to sit ...

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...s music from experiences and issues he is familiar with. Coincidentally, the issues Springsteen writes about have happened repeatedly throughout history, thus causing his songs to feel relevant to any occurrence again and again. Springsteen has never fallen into the rock star image and has kept a level head, giving respected credence to his down-to-earth image and knowledge.

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